Govt releases Shs150 billion for nationwide road maintenance

Uganda Road fund has released over shs155bn towards the renovation of roads across the country (FILE PHOTO)

KAMPALA – The Uganda Road Fund (URF) has released 152 billion shillings for the second quarter of the 2018/2019 Financial Year to renovate roads in Kampala, municipalities, town councils, districts and sub-counties countrywide.

Mr Andrew Namanye, URF manager for programmes, said the money is part of the 527 billion shillings allocated for road maintenance countrywide in the budget for the current Financial Year.

“This money is intended to ensure roads that have been denying people access to certain places because of their unpleasant state are renovated. We want farmers to be able to take their produce to markets. We, however, caution district, sub-county and urban council leaders to have proper accountability and use this money for the intended purpose,” Mr Namanye told journalists in Kampala on Tuesday.

Mr Michael Odongo, the URF executive director, appealed to the public to ensure that the money is put to the right use.

“We call upon people to be vigilant and inform us when they see irregularities during maintenance of roads. Having good roads it is not an offer but an individual right. You, therefore, have rights to monitor the effective use of these funds,” Mr Odongo said.

He said that for a district or urban council to benefit from funds, it must have signed a performance agreement with the road fund, must have submitted a satisfactory annual work plan, a general receipt with evidence of timely receipt and transfer of funds to sub-agencies.

Eng Odongo said funds for Kole and Pakwach districts have been withheld because they have not filed their quarter four for financial year 2017/2018 accountabilities with the URF secretariat.